Title: THE BROKEN SOULS (A GARDEN OF VIPERS) – Carson Ryder #03
Author: Jack Kerley
ISBN: 9780007214341
Publisher: Harper Collins
Pages: 533
Source: Library Book
A brilliant new psychological serial killer thriller featuring homicide detective Carson Ryder, hero of the bestselling ‘The Hundredth Man’ and ‘Her Last Scream.’ Blood was everywhere, like the interior had been hosed down with an artery … The gore-sodden horror that greets homicide detective Carson Ryder on a late-night call out is enough to make him want to quit the case. Too late. Now he and his partner Harry are up to their necks in a Southern swamp of the bizarre and disturbing. An investigation full of twists and strange clues looks like it’s leading to the city’s least likely suspects – a powerful family whose philanthropy has made them famous. But behind their money and smiles is a dynasty divided by hate. Their strange and horrific past is about to engulf everyone around them in a storm of violence and depravity. And Ryder’s right in the middle of it …
Official Summary
08 July 2025
By book three in the Carson Ryder series, you’d think Jack Kerley might start to ease off the gas a little, but The Broken Souls dives even deeper into the twisted and the bizarre. This instalment is a haunting exploration of madness, corruption, and the lingering trauma that can shape not only killers, but the people hunting them.
The story kicks off with what seems to be a routine case: a mutilated body found on the grounds of an old psychiatric hospital. But Ryder quickly learns that this is no simple murder scene. The location—the former haven for Alabama’s most disturbed criminal minds—carries its own sinister legacy. As more bodies turn up and secrets from the asylum’s past start to unravel, the case takes on a deeply psychological edge that’s both disturbing and addictive.
Kerley excels at building an oppressive atmosphere, and The Broken Souls might just be his darkest yet. The setting of the asylum is brilliant—claustrophobic, eerie, and steeped in twisted history. It’s more than just a backdrop; it becomes a character in its own right. As Ryder and his ever-reliable partner Harry Nautilus dig deeper, they uncover ties to political power, abuse, and a cover-up that threatens to consume them.
Carson Ryder continues to be a fascinating lead. He’s smart, slightly damaged, and just the right amount of reckless. The continuing thread involving his mysterious brother adds a personal and often unsettling layer to the investigation. It’s a relationship I find both fascinating and unnerving—and it keeps me coming back for more.
What stands out in this book:
- The blend of psychological horror and gritty procedural
- A cast of eerie suspects with hidden motives
- The moral ambiguity that challenges Ryder at every turn
- And as always, a few twists you won’t see coming
The Broken Souls is a gritty, gothic thriller that doesn’t shy away from uncomfortable truths or dark themes. If you’re already invested in the series, this book is a satisfying next step with even higher stakes and deeper shadows. And if you’re new to Carson Ryder, be prepared to be drawn into a world where madness lingers just below the surface—and sometimes stares you right in the face.
Also By Jack Kerley
THE DEATH COLLECTORS – Carson Ryder #2
In 1972, on the day of his sentencing, renowned artist and serial killer Marsden Hexcamp is shot dead in the courtroom by a mysterious veiled woman. Members of his Mansonesque band of followers are imprisoned or simply disappear…
Decades later, a suspected prostitute is found murdered in a candlelit motel room, the first in a series of horrors suggesting that Hexcamp’s art remains alive and treacherous. Following a trail of beautiful – and profoundly disturbing – artwork, homicide detectives Carson Ryder and Harry Nautilus descend into the shocking world of the Death Collectors, people who spend vast sums to collect serial-killer memorabilia.
About the Author
Author bio from the author’s site
John Albert Kerley is an American author. He spent 20 years in a successful advertising career before writing his first book, The Hundredth Man.
He currently lives in Newport, Kentucky, and is married with two children. He enjoys the outdoors, particularly fishing.
He is the author of the acclaimed Alabama-set series of Carson Ryder novels.
Thank you for visiting the blog. Have you been enjoying the Carson Ryder reviews? Book three was not my favourite, but I have not given up on the series yet. I have already read more, and they keep getting better. Are you are fan? Which was your favourite? I’d love to hear from you. Please leave a comment below. Until next time… Happy Reading!
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